Locomotive-stoker.



M. ALPERN.

KOCONIOTIVE STOKER'.-

APPLICATION FILED (101.2, I9I4.

PIIIQIIIIQII sept. 3,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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lVl. ALPERN.

LOGOMOTIVE'STOKER.

APPLICATION HLED OCT. 2, 1914.

l 277,352. Pntenfed Sept 23, 15H8.

3 SHEETS-SHEET? M. ALPERN.r

LOCOMOTIVE STOKER.

APPLICATION FlLED OCT. 2| 1914 n l intentedbept. o, 191%.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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` so that the lowermost projects farther towa'rd the fronft of the fire-box than the twyer immediately above it.

The transverse frame member 26 carries a suitable number of brackets 28 in which is journaled a shaft 29 having fixed to it a transversely extending grate- 30 which when in its horizontal position, practically closes the space between the last of the twyers 27 and the adjacent front wall of the fire box. By turning said shaft, however, this grate may be swung down through any desired angle to or toward a vertical position and for this purpose Ivkey upon it a toothed segment 31 actuated from a shaft 33 through a worm 32. This latter is journaled in a bracket 34 carried by the frame member 6 and its outer end is carried in a bearing provided on a bracket 35, there being a hand wheel 36 xed to its outer extremity.

For supplying fuel to the retorts I mount at the rear of the Stoker a series of hoppers 37, 38, 39, 40, all communicating with a single elongated trough or hopper 41 and respectively leading into cylindrlcal chambers 42 Vformed in line with the openings into the ends of the retorts. Plungers 43 are respectively slidable 'within these chambers, and for actuating them I provide a shaft 44 mounted in suitable bearings carried by the rear of the stoker casing. Fixed to said shaft are a number of worms 45, respectively engaging worm wheels 46 fixed on short vertical spindles carried in suitable bearings on the stoker frame and each having fixed to its lower end a crank 47. Each crank in turn is connected to its plunger 43 by a connect ingrod 48.

*ach plunger also has connected to it a of parallel connecting rods 48 and on pair of these are mounted two pairs of coleach , lars 49 and 50, all of which may be adjusted to vary .their positions on said shaft. Between each two collars 49 is slidably mounted a cross head 51 connected through a link 52 with a lug 53 attached to and forming part of the adJacent retort pusher 11. Likewise Y between the two collars is slidably mountved a cross head 5,4 connected' through a rod 55 with the frame 26, on which are mounted the various twyers 27.

In the present instance the bottoms of the various wind boxes are formed by hinged plates 56 which when closed all lie in approximately the same plane and completely shut off the flow of air to the wind box although when swung down they may permit the iow of any desired quantity of air into said boxes and twyers, it being understood that in the present instance the stoker is designed for operation under induced draft, although, if desired, it may be employed under forced draft, in which case the bottom plates 56 would be closed as shown in the drawings and the various wind boxes Larnaca supplied with air from any desired or suitable source.

A sheet metal casing 57 is mounted below the twyers 27 and is supported at the front end of the Iire boxbetween the transverse frame member 5 and the lower edge of the boiler plate l adjacent the frame member 53 and this casing is provided with bottom doors 59 pivoted to the front and rear bottom edges of the casing and held closed in any desired manner.

Under conditions of operation the shaft 44 is driven by a suitable source of power while fuel is supplied to the hopper 41, and as a consequence the reciprocation of the plungers 43 intermittently forces charges of such fuel into the lire box through the several retorts, so that it passes over the dead plates 25 on to the pusher plates 11 which are reciprocated through the rods 48 and the connecting rods 52. Obviously the collars 49 may be set on these rods 48ato give the several pusher plates 11 any desired stroke and in any event, the continued supply of fuel causes it to fill the retorts and fall in front of the various abutments provided by the shoulders 12 and the abutment plates 20. y

'top surface of this fuel bed is substantially horizontal, it may in some cases be inclined upwardly from the rear, to the front of the fire-box, and as the fuel approaches the inner end of the stoker its volume is diminished by reason of the combustion, so that when it reaches the innermost of the twyers S but. a small portion remains to be consumed. It is, however, gradually delivered onto the inclined series of twyers 27 where the last remnant of the combustible material is burnt, finally falling as ash upon the grate 30, which may be partially opened so that some of it will fall immediately into the casing 57. Any clinkers which are delivered from the furnace collect upon the grate 30, from which they maybe dumped from time to time, by operation of the toothedsegment 31 through the shaft 33 and hand-wheel 36.

I claim 1. The combination in a stoker of struca turesspaced apart to form retorts; an elongated plate mounted in cach of said retorts to form the bottom thereof and provided with openings; pushers pivotally carried bv said plate .and projecting upwardly through said openlngs; an arm connected to each aafiaaaa pusher; links connecting the arms; a toothed segment connected to the links; av worm operative on said segment; and mea-ns forturning the Worm to vary the position of said pushers; with a device for reciprocating the pusher-carrying plates.

Q. The combination in a stoker of a seres of structures spaced apart to form retorts;

3. In an underfeed-furnace stoker con- V struction, the combination of a fuel-retort having a movable Wallmeans to reciprocate said wall, a fuel-pusher adapted to travel With said Wall and remain fixed in position relative thereto during the movements of the -Wall, and means to adjust the position of said pusher relatively to said Wall to regulate the feed of fuel Without modifying .the action of'said wall-reciprocating means,

substantially as described.

4. In an underfeed-furnace stoker construction, the combination of a fuel-retort having a sliding ioor, means to reciprocate said floor, a fuel usher adapted to travel with said floor, ang remain fixed in position relative thereto during the movements of the iioor, and means carried by said floor to adjust the position of said pusher relative to said floor to regulate the feed of fuel without modifying the action of said floorreciprocating means, substantially as described. l

5. In an underfeed-furnace Stoker construction, the combination of a fuel-retort having its floor and portions of its side-Walls slidable, means to reciprocate'said loor and side-wall portions, travel with said Hoor and and remain xed in position relative thereto during the movements of the floor, and means to adjust the position of said pusher a fuel-pusher adapted to side-wall portions relatively to said floor to regulate the feed of fuel Without modifying the action of said floor-reciprocating means, substantiallyl as described.

6. In an underfeed-furnace stoker construction, the combination of a fuel-retort having a sliding Wall, means to reciprocate said wall, a fuel-pusher adapted to travel with said Wall and remain fixed in position relative thereto during the movements of the Wal1,'said pusher having a slightly incli-ned top face and an abrupt rear face, and means to adjust the positionof said pusher relatively to said Wall to regulate the feed of fuel by exposing more or less of said abrupt face to act on the fuel, Without modifying the action of said Wall-reciprocating means, substantially as described.

l 7. In an underfeed-furnace stoker construction, the combination of a fuel-retort having a recessed slidable Wall, means to reciprocate said Wall, a fuel-pusher accommodated in said recess, adaptedto travel with said Wall, and remain fixed in position relative thereto during the movements of the Wall, and means to adjust the positionof said pusher in said recess to vary the extent of its projection into the retort to regulate the feed of fuel Without modifying the action of said Wall-reciprocating means, substantially as described.

8. In an -underfeed-furnace Stoker construction, the combination of a fuel-retort having a slidable wall, means to reciprocate said Wall, a fuel-pusher carried by the Wall, disposed transverselv of the direction of travel of the Wall, and adapted tov remain fixed in position relative to the' wall during the movements of ythe Wall, and means to turn the pusher about its axis to adjust its position to regulate the fuel-feed Without modifying the action of said Wall-reciprocating means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAXWELL ALPERN.

Witnesses:

C. L. SMITH, M. EMMA BURGESS. 

